Fashion Week 2016 wrap

Bec & Bridge, Alice McCall and more: our labels, last week.

We take you inside MBFWA.

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If you were anywhere near Instagram last week, you would have an inkling there was something going on. Let us give you a hint: it was Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) as local designers, Bella Hadid, and, international label Oscar de la Renta walked Resort 17.

We’ve covered off the need-to-know shows below for you. Handy if you’ve got a fashion industry Tinder date on your near horizon. Also useful if you missed last week and need a little help when it comes to the labels to name-drop.

SHE OWNS THE NIGHT: MISHA COLLECTION Bella Hadid opened and closed for Misha Collection, bringing us soft pinks and corsetry, black figure-hugging silhouettes, fringing and lace that leaves little to the imagination.

At this show, there was skin, and plenty of it. Think plunging necklines, off-the-shoulder numbers, halter tops and midriffs. A favourite of all we saw? The lightweight coats that will carry you through any season.

Hair - by Goldwell - was a super slick point with a centre-part with a peach-toned lip under the close hand of Maybelline.

Watch out for the Misha Collection girl: she owns the night.

WEAR IT THIS WAY: BY JOHNNYHere’s By Johnny: this year, Johnny Schembri gave us an ultra-fem collection. Frills that flounced and embroidery with sculptural details. The detail, it was all there: against cleaner cuts walked white savaged hems, with hand-tied straps. Prints were big and bold and floral blocks, contrasted with smaller, more intricate geometrics and then there were the polkadots. Laser cutouts and contours made shapes bold while metallic-tinted sunray pleats made you want to sway.

INDIAN DREAMING: BEC & BRIDGE There are date dresses and then there are DATE dresses. And when it comes to the latter, Bec & Bridge are guaranteed to deliver - and this season proved no different. Kola, they called their resort collection, and in it we found the yin and the yang - deep rusted tones and soft folds walking ahead of bold cut-outs and a whole lot of shimmer. There were plenty of asymmetrical cuts, a whole lot of off-the-shoulder and, of course, their signature minis.

Shoes - laced high and tasselled with a block heel - were a collaboration with Tony Bianco dubbed Alexis and are scheduled to drop as soon as October. And then, there was the swimwear. Endless summer, that’s what we want.

CALL ON ME: ALICE MCCALL Talk about hanging by the telephone: at Sydney’s Porteno, Alice McCall had her team construct makeshift sets compete with floral wallpaper and Bakelit phones and the girls with finger waves.

Here she gave visitors to the boudoir sweetly cut rompers, soft pastels, chantilly lace, frills and open suiting.

ALL THAT SHE WANTS: C/MEO COLLECTIVEIn their Resort 17 show, C/MEO COLLECTIVE’s girl meant business. Shirts were oversized and suits sharply tailored. There were wide legs and floating hems. Also: sunray pleats and simple layering, bold-cut blazers with cinched waists in a simple palette of white, black and blush. And, the ARCHFASHION team’s new accessory of choice: a knotted black-and-white bandana.

OUT OF AFRICA: CAMILLABeyonce, she’s a fan. Oh, and so is Oprah. Camilla - her signature bold prints and pop colours are iconic, inescapable and, once more, she brought them our way in her African-inspired resort collection - Jambo Jambo - on the decks of the 45-metre luxury cruiser Seadeck. Here, there was colour and a lot of it, embellishments a plenty and those Camilla-esque kaftan cuts that have earned cult status. This season, amid the kaftans, we saw printed custom surfboards which will be available come September. Ride the wave, join the tribe.

STARS OF TRACK AND FIELD: P.E. NATIONPip Edwards and Claire Tregoning’s P.E. Nation is our new go-to. Retro-styled activewear, it’s a wardrobe staple no matter your day job. The pair in their MBFWA debut brought us bright colours and big logos, checked crops and prints, all over. Our must-have from the collection? The wide-legged trackpants. Work it out.